F.A.Q.s

1. Site Content

Our online ordering system has new features making it easier to use and more powerful, with lots of images and information about products to help you find out about the stuff we sell.

Mini Search Bar: at the top of every page is a search box. You can enter partial descriptions or our codes into this box.

If you enter a partial description of the item(s) you are looking for, we will find a list items that match your search. If only one item matches your search, then we'll take you straight to that item's product page

If you enter one of our product codes, we'll take you straight to that item's product page

Search Category navigation menu - to allow you to search by category from anywhere on the site - just click on, or roll your mouse over the menus at the top of every page to see the full list of links for each search category.

Advanced Search form: At the end of the Search Category navigation menu, there is a link to our Advanced Search form, where you can perform a more sophisticated search by combining your search term with filters to narrow yourt results (organic, vegan, gluten-free, fair-trade and stock items). This form also contains buttons that link to our full brand and group listings.

We have simplified the login - it's right there on the home page! - and once you have logged in you have access to all the prices you want, and links to your "basket", the "checkout" and your "archive" of orders are always available to you as part of a menu bar to the top right of every page - there's no escaping them!

Product Information - Click on the deescription of any item in your search results to find out more about it. The information pops up in its own window, which you can then close toy get back to your main results, or click through to get full information about the item.

Filters for products groups, and brands

The system remembers your current order - If you have to abandon an order before you finish it, your order will still be in your "basket" next time you log in.

An archive of the orders you have placed with us using this website - You can view your order history at any time, once you are logged in. You can use an archived order as a "template", and add lines from the old order list to your new order. If you regularly place orders that usually contain the same items, then this feature can save you LOTS of time looking for the same items over and over again.

So, what's new?

Our new home page provides you with the information you need to find us, at a glance, and with quick links to lots of information

Quick Product Search - just type the item you're looking for in the box strip at the top of every page

Search Category Menus (Ingredients, Branded Foods, etc) - just click on, or roll your mouse over the menus at the top of every page to see the full list of links for each search category.

Advanced Search Form (Ingredients, Branded Foods, etc) - just click on, or roll your mouse over the Advanced Search menu at the top of every page to access our search engine.

News - This is a news stream direct from our Facebook and Twitter feeds. You can see the news page here.

Product Pages - to see details about any of the items we sell, just click on the description of any item you see in your search results.

Facebook and Twitter buttons on every product page - these let you "like" and comment on any of the products we offer, post them to Facebook or Twitter, or send a link to a product in a message to a friens

Online access to your statement of account - You can click a link from your control panel on your "My Account" home page and view a live statement of which invoices of yours are outstanding, and when they are due.

2. Online Ordering

Why can't I create an account, or pay for an order online?

Creating your order on line is becoming ever more popular with our customers and several of you have asked why you can't create an account with Lembas online, and why you can't pay for your order on line either.

We like it better that way for several reasons...

Call us old fashioned, but we like to get to know our customers, and we'd like to talk to you first to see how we can help. This requires some human contact! So, if you don't have one already and you want an account with us, give us a ring on 0845 4581585 or, if you must, email us.

Owing to the immense size of the range we offer, we never guarantee you 100% order fulfillment (tho' we average over 90%). So we would rather bill you on delivery for what you receive rather than overcharge you in advance.

Unfortunately, our website's price list database is not connected directly to our live database...yet. Rather, it is maintained by monthly updates, so there may occasionally be discrepencies in prices (up or down). Again, we would rather charge you correctly for what you get than overcharge you in advance.

Truth be told, if we were to implement online payment transactions, it would mean a significant fraction of the cost on your order (~10%) would go to some middle-(wo)man, and this cost is more than we care to pay at the moment!

If you are a regular customer or on one of our normal delivery runs we will deliver at the usual time.

If you are not so regular or relatively new to us, we will contact you to confirm / discuss the best time for delivery.

We have your customer code, so we can contact you if there is any difficulty with your order.

You can add a message with any special instructions you may have for us on confirming your order.

Meanwhile, if you have any queries about your order you could have a look at our Terms of Trade, or contact us with your query.

3. Prices on the Website

Why can't I see any RRPs on the website?

You may also have noticed that there are no RRPs on the website.

Again, we have made this decision for several reasons, and it is a policy that we will review over time, as we do understand that it has caused annoyance to a few people who like to browse our site for prices.

For now, though, if you want RRPs, you can download a CSV file of our current prices, including RRPs, from our downloads page.

4. EU Regulations

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union. It also addresses the export of personal data outside the EU.

Here’s a reminder about what data Lembas holds about customers and what it does with that data:

We only hold data relevant to our business which is name, address, phone number and email address.

These are only held for the purpose of deliveries, collections, notifying of stock levels and collection of payments.

We do not store any other personal details including any card details.

We will never contact you with promotions or marketing and the data is never passed on to 3rd parties.

Also, if you want an account deleting please contact us and this will be removed immediately.

If you have any further questions regarding our policy on GDPR, please email chrisg@lembas.co.uk.